The invention relates to creating a plume of water.
Many people enjoy the use of personal watercrafts on bodies of water such as lakes, rivers and oceans. Others enjoy the thrill of being towed behind a motorized watercraft on various devices such as skis, kneeboards, wakeboards, tire inner tubes, and other inflatable products of various shapes and sizes. The popularity of these products has grown over the years. At times, it can be difficult for boaters and other water traffic to see a rider on a personal watercraft or a device that is being towed behind a boat.
Some personal watercraft manufacturers have used the pressure exerted by the engine""s impeller to direct and/or propel a portion of the water of the jet spray created by the personal watercraft in an upward direction behind the personal watercraft. The water that is shot up into the water forms a plume that is often referred to as a xe2x80x9crooster tail.xe2x80x9d The plume of water is easy to see from a distance and thus increases the visibility of the rider and the personal watercraft.
In one aspect, the invention features a device for generating a plume of water, the device including a) a first side wall, b) a second side wall extending at an angle to the first side wall, the first side wall and the second side wall defining a tapered channel, the channel including i) a first end, ii) a second end, and iii) a longitudinal extent extending between the first end and the second end, c) a first flange extending at an angle to the first side wall, and d) a second flange extending at an angle to the second side wall.
In one embodiment, the first flange extends from a portion of the first side wall and the second flange extends from a portion of the second side wall. In another embodiment, the device further includes a third side wall, the third side wall extending from the first side wall and across a portion of the channel to the second side wall. In some embodiments, the third side wall extends beyond the first side wall and the second side wall to form the first flange and the second flange.
In another embodiment, the first flange includes an arcuate surface and the second flange includes an arcuate surface. In some embodiments, the device further includes a third side wall extending from the first side wall to the second side wall, the first flange and the second flange being attached to the third side wall.
In other embodiments, the device includes a first member extending from the first side wall, the first flange extending from the first member and a second member extending from the second side wall, the second flange extending from the second member. In some embodiments, the device further includes a bottom wall extending between the first member and the second member near the first end of the channel. In one embodiment, the first end of the channel extends below the plane of the bottom wall.
In one embodiment, the first side wall and the second side wall converge toward each other near the first end of the device to define a narrower channel entrance, and the first side wall and the second side wall diverge away from each other near the second end to define a wider channel exit.
In some embodiments, the channel includes a straight portion and an arcuate portion. The channel can include straight portion near the first end of the channel and an arcuate portion near the second end of the channel.
In other embodiments, the device further includes a third flange extending from the first flange to the second flange. In some embodiments, the first flange, the second flange and the third flange form a unitary mounting flange.
In another embodiment, the device further includes a bottom wall extending between the first member and the second member, and a third flange extending from the bottom wall.
In some embodiments, the surface area of the interior of the channel near the second end is greater than the surface area of the interior surface of the channel near the first end.
In one embodiment, the edge of the first side wall at the first end of the channel slopes toward the union of the first wall and the second wall and the edge of the second wall at the first end of the channel slopes toward the union of the first wall and the second wall.
In one embodiment, the device is adapted for attachment to a floatable craft selected from the group consisting of a water ski, a surfboard, a wakeboard, a windsurfer, and a kneeboard. In other embodiments, the device is adapted for attachment to an inflatable, floatable craft selected from the group consisting of a continuous tube, an elongated cylindrical tube, a circular raft, and a polygonal raft.
In another aspect, the invention features a floatable craft that includes an inflatable object and one of the above-devices attached to the inflatable object.
In other aspects, the invention features a device for generating a plume of water, the device including a) a first side wall, and b) a second side wall, the first side wall and the second side wall defining a tapered channel including i) a first end including a channel entrance, ii) a second end including a channel exit, iii) a longitudinal extent extending between the first end and the second end, iv) a straight portion near the first end, and v) an arcuate portion near the second end, the device being capable of attachment to a floatable craft such that when the floatable craft is in motion on a body of water, the device directs water into the channel entrance and out of the channel exit in the form of a plume of water. In one embodiment, the first side wall extends at an angle to the second side wall. In another embodiment, the first side wall and the second side wall define a concave channel. In still other embodiments, the channel further includes a back wall, and the first side wall extends at a first angle to the back wall, and the second side wall extends at a second angle to the back wall.
In one embodiment, the device further includes a first flange extending from the first side wall at an angle to the first side wall, and a second flange extending from the second side wall, at an angle to the second side wall. In some embodiments, the first flange includes an arcuate surface and the second flange includes an arcuate surface. In other embodiments, the device further includes a third side wall, the third side wall extending from the first side wall to the second side wall to enclose a portion of the channel. In one embodiment, the third side wall extends beyond the first side wall and the second side wall to form a first flange and a second flange. In some embodiments, the device further includes a first flange extending from the first side wall at an angle to the first side wall, and a second flange extending from the second side wall, at an angle to the second side wall such that when the device is attached to a floatable craft, the first end of the channel including a portion of the longitudinal extent of the channel is open to receive water. In other embodiments, the device further includes a first flange extending from the first side wall, a second flange extending from the second side wall; and a third side wall extending from the first side wall to the second side wall, the first flange and the second flange being attached to the third side wall.
In another aspect, the invention features an apparatus that includes an inflatable, floatable craft and a device for generating a plume of water attached to the inflated, floatable craft, the device including a) a first side wall, and b) a second side wall, the first side wall and the second side wall defining a tapered channel including i) a first end including a channel entrance, ii) a second end including a channel exit, and iii) a longitudinal extent extending between the first end and the second end, the device is positioned on the inflatable, floatable craft such that when the is inflatable, floatable craft is inflated and in motion on a body of water, the device directs water into the channel entrance and out of the channel exit in the form of a plume of water. In some embodiments, the first side wall and the second side wall converge toward each other along the longitudinal extent of the channel from the first end of the channel to the second end of the channel.
In other embodiments, the first end of the channel terminates at a point above the plane of a body of water when the inflated floatable craft is disposed on the body of water. In other embodiments, the inflatable, floatable craft includes a shape selected from the group consisting of a rectangle, a square, a triangle, a circle and an ellipse. In another embodiment, the inflatable floatable craft includes a pocket, the device for generating a plume of water being disposed in the pocket. In one embodiment, the device is adhered to the inflatable floatable craft.
In some embodiments, the first side wall extends at an angle to the second side wall. In another embodiment, the first side wall and the second side wall define a concave channel. In one embodiment, the channel further includes a back wall, and the first side wall extends at a first angle to the back wall, and the second side wall extends at a second angle to the back wall. In some embodiments, the apparatus further includes a first flange extending from the first side wall at an angle to the first side wall, and a second flange extending from the second side wall, at an angle to the second side wall. In other embodiments, the first flange includes an arcuate surface and the second flange includes an arcuate surface.
In another embodiment, the device of the apparatus further includes a third side wall, the third side wall extending from the first side wall to the second side wall to enclose a portion of the channel. In one embodiment, the third side wall extends beyond the first side wall and the second side wall to form a first flange and a second flange. In another embodiment, the apparatus further includes a first flange extending from the first side wall at an angle to the first side wall, and a second flange extending from the second side wall, at an angle to the second side wall such that when the device is attached to a floatable craft, the first end of the channel including a portion of the longitudinal extent of the channel is open to receive water.
In other aspects, the invention features a method of generating a plume of water with a device including a) a first side wall, and b) a second side wall, the first side wall and the second side wall defining a channel including i) a first end including a channel entrance, ii) a second end including a channel exit, and iii) a longitudinal extent extending between the first end and the second end, the method including: contacting a body of water with the device at a speed sufficient to direct water into the channel entrance of the device and out the channel exit of the device in the form of a plume of water.
In another aspect, the invention features a device for generating a plume of water, the device including a) a back wall, b) a spine attached to the back wall and extending substantially perpendicularly from the back wall, c) a front wall attached to the spine, the front wall including i) a first end, ii) a second end, iii) a longitudinal extend extending between the first end and the second end, iv) a first side wall extending at an angle to the spine, and v) a second side wall extending at an angle to the spine, the front wall tapering from the first end to the second end along the longitudinal extent. In one embodiment, the back wall is arcuate. In other embodiments, the first side wall and the second side wall are arcuate.
The invention features a device that is capable of generating a plume of water behind an inflatable craft, such as an inner tube, as the inflatable craft is pulled behind a boat at relatively high speeds. The device is capable of directing a sufficient volume of water from a body of water, through the device, and into the air to form a plume of water having significant height and volume.
The plume of water provides added excitement for the user as well as the observer. The plume of water also provides greater visibility of the person riding on the craft that is generating the plume by creating a more noticeable presence of the person and the person""s position on the lake, which is particularly beneficial to a person riding on a floatable craft that is being towed at a distance behind a boat.
Other features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof, and from the claims.